Building codes in some countries, for example New Zealand, require piles and posts to have 100 mm of concrete under them when they are set in concrete. This requires each post or pile to be vertically suspended 100 mm above the bottom of a footing hole while the concrete is poured in and until the concrete is set.
Footing holes for the piles or posts are measured and marked on the ground prior to the footing holes being excavated by digging or by post hole borer. String lines are used to set out the line if a builder has a line of piles/posts to set in concrete footings.
Contemporary practice is to suspend a post or pile above a footing hole is for one builder to hold the post or pile 100 mm above the bottom of the footing hole and in a desired location while another builder fixes the post in place by constructing a stabilising framework of lines of timber and braces.
FIG. 1 illustrates a line of posts 1, each residing in a footing hole 2 that has been excavated to receive a concrete pour. A framework is shown to support each post and includes a plurality of lateral support braces 3 and transverse support braces 5 arranged at ninety degrees to each other to support the upper end of each post. A timber piece 3 is arranged to span across and attach to the lower of each post for further support. The timber piece 3 can be anchored to the ground by a plurality of pegs 7. The lateral braces 4 attach to the lower end of each timber piece 3 for stability. A plurality of pegs 6 attach to the lower end of each transverse brace 5 to the ground for stability.
The framework is fastened together by a first builder suspending each post and stabilising each post in position while another builder fastens the framework together with nails or screws. Heavy or tall posts often require further stabilising framework to prevent toppling.
The footing hole is filled with concrete when enough framework is constructed to stabilise the post. The second builder may then be relieved from their job of holding the post or pile in position. The framework is removed when the concrete hardens.
Other contemporary practices to suspend posts or piles above footing holes would include one builder holding the post or pile 100 mm above the bottom of the footing hole and in a desired location while another builder pours the concrete into the footing hole.
Then a builder will have check that the post or pile is in the correct location, while trying to keep the post or pile suspended 100 mm above the bottom of the footing hole while the concrete hardens sufficiently to relieve the builder.
The process of suspending each post or pile and building a framework to hold each post or pile in place before concreting is onerous. It is therefore an object of the invention to facilitate an improved process which overcomes or at least ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
In this specification, where reference has been made to external sources of information, including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.